Air ring



Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED VSTATES PATENT ori-ic Y CHARLES D. DALLAS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO REVERE COPPER & BRASS INCORPORATED, OF ROME, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION F MARYLAND AIR RING Application fnealaugust 2e, 1931, serial No. 559,465.

The invention relates tov nozzles of thekind generally known as air rings and more pari` ticularly it'relatesto nozzles adapted tojproduce a wiping action by directing compressed remaining portion `of the tube.

cleaning and to' prevent clogging by the ac- Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved air ring of novel construction having a plurality of discharge slots of a shape adapting them to be self cumulation of dust and other foreign particles contained in the compressed air. j

In lock seam tubes, there are some irregularities at the joint such as longitudinal depressions.V The soldering process usually consists in passing the tube through a solder bath from which it emerges covered with a thin film of solder. It is desirable that the solder be concentrated along the seam to fill the same and the surplus solder be removed from the tube. The described concentration of the solderalong the seam to fill the depressions and the removal ofthe surplus solder equally'desirable if thessolder'is applied'by some other method than dipping. f l

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the kind described so constructed and arranged as to give a smoothV finished appearance to the joints of lock seam tubes by causing the solder to flow in and fill depressions along the seams and by wiping the solder from the remaining portion of the tube. -k Y The invention contemplates an air ring having an annular chamber connected with a central bore. l Compressed air is deliveredl into the'bottom of the chamberand escapes through slots arranged with angular symmetry about the bore. The air pressure in the annular chamber diminishes towards the'top with the result that the driving 0r wiping action of the air discharged from the slots is less at the top than elsewhere. The freshly tinned or soldered tubev is passed through the bore'with the seamuppermost where the impact of the streams of air escaped from lthe slots 'have less driving or wiping action. The'diminished driving ac-V tion of the streams of air discharged from the top portion of the chamber `tends not only to roll the solder along the tube longitudinally but also to roll ythe solder from thel side towards the top where the impact or driving'force of the escaping air is less.

The discharge slots are arranged to deliver air along the surfaceof the tube at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of ythe tube. It has been found by experiment that the'discharge of air along the surface of the tube at an angle of from 22 to 25 degrees to the longitudinal a-Xis more eectively rolls the solder towardsthe seam and more `completely wipes the solder from the tube than is the case where any greater or smaller angle of inclination is employed.

The invention further contemplates the provision in a device off the kind described of an annular manifold chamber through which compressed air flows and is discharged through a plurality of slots arranged in angular symmetry about the chamber', the connection of the slots with the chamber being permit escape of air through the such as to slots in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flow of the main current through the chamber.. A further object of the invention is the provision of animproved air ring of the kind described so constructed as to minimize the retardation'of the flow of the air through the chamber.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an air ring of the kind described which is simple, compact, convenient and satisfactory for its intended purpose.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will novel construction and arrangement herein A the chamber 25. They close'fit: between the, surfaces 16a and lbprevent escape of air,

ing surface 16?) on the cap member 13. bore 9 is bounded by a vcylindrical surface shown and described and more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts: f

Figs. 1 and 2 are sectional views through a device 'embodying the prineiplespofmy invention,Y Fig. 1 being a View along the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 2 being a View taken c alongtheline12-2 ofFi-gLl; f, Y

- Fig. 31s a, view to a larger scale'of a frag-n mentary portion of the device p shown in Fig. 1; i L Fig. 4 is a View alongA the line Llp-1 of Fig. 3; and n Fig. fis a; View along the line 5-5 of Fi 4.,

V t'eferring; now more particularly to the drawing, the invention is shown as embodied in an air nozzle or ring generally'designated by thenuineial- 8 and .havingV a cylindrical bore9 Vextending theretlirough..V The nozzle 8 iscOni'i-ected With-a member 11b-y bolts 12 and :comprises a sleeve 10 and a cap member "Y 13. The memberV 11 Vmay be any suitable supporting member'such as a Wall ofa vessell positioned to receivethe surplus .solder that may be blown from altube 27 for similar article by the impact of' air, discharged by theV device. .The tube 27 is indicated by dotted Y lines and has a loclr` seam 28.

The cap meinber'13'has a flange 18 thread-l edionto the sleeve 10. The sleeve 1() has a frusto-conical projection j22 fitting againstv the cap member 13. The end of thesleeve 10 adjacent the cap member 13 is bounded by` an annular surface 14, a narrow cylindricalsurface 15 anda frusto-conical surface 16a, the latter closely ttingagainst a'correspond- The 2,3 terminatingiin aV beveled surface 17. The cap member 13' has'a beveled surface 19 alignedr with the surface 17 :to provide a guide for the tube 28'as it'enters thebore 9.

The' sleeve 10 andthe cap memberl?) when assembled provide Man annular manifold chamber 25 between the innerlface of the cap 13' and the sleeve surfacey 14. "The chamber il 25- is connectedvr by'a- 'pipe' 27 withV a supply of'compnessed air (not'shovvn), theair being delivered frointlie'pipe into the bottom ofV the chamber through an opening 26.Y A plu# ra-lity of grooves or slots 21 are formed in the frusto-conical portionl 22' ofthe sleeve 10.

The. slotsv 21 are arranged. in angular symmetry about the longitudinal anis of' the bore 9 and, when the sleeve 10 andthecap member 13 are assembled as shown,- provide outlets for the compressed air delivered into from the slots 21 except at their out-let end. Thel slots 21 areof uniform Width throughout their lengthl with the f top and bot-toml Walls converging towards the voutlet end. The cross sectional area of the slots being less at their outlet than at their discharge ends causes greater velocity of air at the outlet end of the slots than at the inlet end, and thereby prevents the accumulation ofgdust and other foreign particles 'which tend to stop'ior clopthe outlet The slots 21terminate inthe beveled surface 17 adjacent the .periph-,eral surface 23 boundingythe bore 9;.-

The discharge ends 'ofthe Slots :,2l. are close to the surface of the tube and as a result,

-vthe airl is discharged at a uniform Vvelocity upon the surface of the tube. The outer Walls of theslots 21 are inclined to the longitudinal axis-of the bore 9:,at substantially an angle of 2.5 degrees and the inneriwallsofthe slots areincliiied to the axisof tl'ie tube. at substanf tiallyA an angle of 22.` degrees., The convergence of the outer andinner vWalls issuflenlt to cause a perceptible'acceleration` of velocity in the slots operable to prevent:theIclogging of the slots. The discharge, of the air attlie above mentioned angles upon the surface of' the tube28 is foundgrfby experiment, to more effectively wipe the 'surface' ofi the tube thanl when the inclination is :eithery greater or, lessi. The inner-endsfofA the slots 21 each open into.

the inner surface of'theA annular chamber' 2.5

a direction 'substantially perpendicularlto the.

flow of air throughl the cliarnber25l.

tends tovimpede Aand make irregular the prs,.- s'ure Within the chamber 25. In order thatA the retardation of'andV interference with the continuous flow of air through theV chamber' be minimized or preX-*ented a plurality ofr recesses 2O are providedinthe sleeve 10. as shown? The" recesses 2O areof the same width and are eachxalignedwithf one ofthe slots 21..

The'recesses 2O` terminate opposite the. charm.. ber 25 Vina curved bounding Wall so arrangedV that the' bottom Walll'fthe slotshas a Smooth connection With-the curved bounding surface. of the recesses. The recesses 20 providefpockets tending, top-ick upy air under a pressure substantially equal tothe pressure 0f tbe-air` inthe adjacent portionA of the chamber 2 5.

Pressure is'maintai'nedq in the respective re..-A CQSSCS 20K-.1t a'pressure substaiitiallyk equal tio...

that-n the' chambr' 'Without retardilngthe @renfrew of wijn the. chamber for, tlie reason thatgtlie depthY 0f therecesses ssufbstan:

It is found in .practice thatfthiscross flow tially the depth of the chamber 25. The co-ntinuity of the curved bounding surface of the recesses with the inner wall of the slots permits air to flow freely from the recesses through the slots 21 with a minimum retardation or interference with the uniform flow of air through the chamber 25.

The driving force of the streams of air delivered by the slots 2l, in the lower portion of the device, tends to wipe the solder from the lower surface of the tube 28 in advance of the wiping action occurring in the upper portion of the tube. The driving force and th-e resultant wiping action gradually diminishes upwardly to a. minimum at the top. As a result, the streams of air striking the sides of the tube tend to roll the solder upwardly and towards the seam 29 thereby concentrating the solder in the seam and providing` a smooth locking solder surface. The tube 25 in passing through the air ring is cleaned of surplus solder except at the seam 29 where the solder is concentrated and provides a leak proof seam.k

Thus it will be seen that I havev provided a novel air ring or nozzle operable to wipe a lock seam tube covered with solder in such a way as to fill the seam and to remove the solder leaving a lm on the remaining portion of the tube, and also that I have provided a device wherein the air is delivered through a plurality of nozzles arranged in angular symmetry in such a way that the flow of air through the individual nozzles is uniform and the flow from the separate nozzles diminishes from a maximum on one side of the ring to a minimum on the other.

Having thusdescribed the invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction and arrangement herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A wiper nozzle of the kind described comprising a member having a cylindrical bore extending therethrough, and an annular manifold chamber concentric with said bore, means connecting the chamber with a supply of gaseous Huid under pressure, said member having a plurality of discharge slots arranged with angularsymmetry relativeto said bore and terminating in the inner periphery of the manifold chamber, said slots converging inwardly at an acute angle to the axis of said bore, said member having a plurality of recesses opening into said lannular chamber, each of said recesses being in alignment with and forming an extension of a slot.

2. A wiper nozzle of the kind described comprising a member having a cylindrical bore extending therethrough and an annular angular symmetry relative to said bore, saidy slots being rectangular in cross section, the l outer wall of each slot being inclined to the axis of the bore at approximately an angle of twenty five degrees and 'the inner wall of each slot beingv inclined to said axis at approximately an angle of twenty-two degrees, said member having a plurality of recesses opening into said annular chamber in alignment with said slots, `the width of said slots and recesses being equal and the edge wallof each recess being an extension of the bottom wall of the adjacent slot. Y f 3. A wiper nozzle of the kind described comprising a member having a Acylindrical bore extending therethrough and an annular manifold chamber concentric with saidl bore, means connecting the `manifold chamber with a supply of compressed gaseous iiuid,-said member having a plurality of dischargeslots converging towards and arranged with angular symmetry relative to said` bore, the outer, wall of said slots being inclined to the-axis of the bore at an angle of lapproximately twenty five degrees, the inner .wall of said slot being inclined to said axis at an angle of approximately twenty-two degrees, one end of each slot terminating in said annular` manifold chamber concentric with said bore,

means connecting the manifold chamber with a supply of Vcompressed gaseous fluid, said member havinga plurality of discharge slots arranged with angular symmetry relative to said bore, said slots converging towards and inclined to the axis of the bore at an acute angle and each having one end terminating in said annular chamber and the other end terminating near the vend of said bore, said member having a plurality of recesses perpendicular to and-opening yinto said annular chamber andforming extensions of'said slots, the edge wall of said recesses opposite said chamber being curved.

5. A wiper nozzle of the kind described comprising a member having a cylindrical bore extending therethrough and an annular manifold chamber concentric with said bore,

means connecting the chamber with a supconnected with said chamber andconverging; toward said bore, said member having a pluf f ralityv of recesses each perpendicular to and opening into said annular chamber in aligne ment with said slots, said slots beingrectanguiar. in lcross section, the spacing of the outer and inner walls diminishing outwardly 'from the chamber, the 'Width of fsaid recess being Y thesameas said slots and the edge wall of said recesses opposite saidv chamber being curved, said edge Walls forming extensions off the inner Wall of the connecting slots. Y

vGpA` wiper nozzleJ of the kind described comprising a member having a cylindrical bore extending therethrough. and an annular manifold chamber concentric with said bore, means connectingthe chamber with a supply of compressed gaseous fluid, said member having a plurality of discharge slots each connectedwith said chamber and arranged with Yangular symmetry relative to saidy bore saidV slots converging towards and inclined to the longitudinalv axis of the bore at an acute angle and each having one' end terminating in said annular chamber and-the other end terminating near theend ofthe bore, said member having a plurality of recesses each perpendicular to andopening into saidannular chamber in alignment with said slots, said slots being rectangular in cross section, the spacing of the outer and inner Walls diminishing outwardly Vfromy the chamber, the Width of said recess being the same as said slots and edge walls of said recesses oppositev said' chamlxer being curved, said edge'walls each forming an extension of the bottoni wall o the alignedconnecting slot. n

7. A wiperlnozzle of the lrind described comprising a' member having a cylindrical Y bore extending therethrough and an annular manifold chamber surrounding said bore, means'connecting the manifold chamber with a supplyof compressed gaseousrfiuid, said member having a plurality of'V discharge slots converging towards and inclined to the axisof the bore atan acute angle andeach having one end terminating in said annular chamber andthe other end terminatingV near the end ofi said bore, said member having a plurality of recesses openingl into said annular chamber andforming extensions of said slots, the bottomand sidewalls of said slots being aligned Vwith the corresponding Walls .of theadj acent recess.. l

f In witness whereof, IA hereunto subscribe myn-ame this 7 th day of August, A. D. 1981. CHARLES D. DALLAS. 

